System and method for preferred provider services in an enhanced directory assistance system

Abstract

An enhanced directory assistance system includes a directory assistance platform configured to receive calls from at least one requester seeking a listing and a listing database, coupled to the directory assistance platform configured to store a plurality of listings. At least one listing has a preferred status. When the requester contacts the directory assistance platform seeking the listing, a customer service representative at the directory assistance platform retrieves listings that meet the requester's search requirement, at least one of which is a listing having a preferred status. The at least one listing having a preferred status is given a more prominent display to the customer service representative than the remaining listings among the plurality of listings that do not have a preferred status.

1 . An enhanced directory assistance system comprising: 
 a directory assistance platform configured to receive calls from at least one requester seeking a listing; and    a listing database, coupled to said directory assistance platform configured to store a plurality of listings, at least one listing having a preferred status, wherein when said requester contacts said directory assistance platform seeking said listing, a customer service representative at said directory assistance platform retrieves listings that meet the requester's search requirement, at least one of which is a listing having a preferred status, and wherein said at least one listing having a preferred status is given a more prominent display to said customer service representative than the remaining listings among said plurality of listings that do not have a preferred status.    
   
   
       2 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said requester provides said search requirements for seeking a retail or commercial listing.  
   
   
       3 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said requester is seeking a listing from within a particular geographic location.  
   
   
       4 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said listings having a preferred status are displayed to said customer service representative on a separate screen from said listings not having a preferred status.  
   
   
       5 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said listings having a preferred status are displayed to said customer service representative in a results screen overlaying said screen containing said listings not having a preferred status.  
   
   
       6 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said listings having a preferred status are displayed to said customer service representative on the same results screen as said listings not having a preferred status, wherein said listings having a preferred status are shown in either one of bold or highlighted.  
   
   
       7 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said preferred status of said at least one listing having a preferred status is recorded as a positive marking in a preferred provider field of said listing.  
   
   
       8 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein in response to said request from said requester said directory assistance platform retrieves a predefined number of listings having a preferred status for prominent display to said customer service representative.  
   
   
       9 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein if more than the predefined number of preferred status listings meet said requester's search requirements, said directory assistance platform displays a portion of said listings having a preferred status that meet said requester's search requirements, such that over the course of a predefined plurality of calls to said directory assistance system, said listings having a preferred status are displayed prominently to said customer service representatives a substantially equal number of times with regard to one another.  
   
   
       10 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said listings having a preferred status further maintain a preferred status ranking, wherein listings having a higher ranking are displayed more prominently to said customer service representative more often than said preferred status listings having a lower ranking.  
   
   
       11 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said listings having a preferred status having a higher ranking are more often prominently displayed to said customer service representative than said listings having a preferred status with a lower ranking, when said number of listings meeting said requester's search requirements exceeds the predefined number to be displayed, such that over the course of a predefined plurality of calls to said directory assistance system, said listings having a preferred status and a higher ranking are displayed prominently to said customer service representatives a substantially greater number of times with regard to preferred listings having a lower ranking.  
   
   
       12 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a tracking database configured to store information related to said display, and selection of said listings having a preferred status.  
   
   
       13 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said tracking database includes statistics on how often said listings having a preferred status is accepted by said requester versus how often it is more prominently displayed to said customer service representative.  
   
   
       14 . An enhanced directory assistance system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said tracking database includes statistics on how often listings not having a preferred status are accepted by said requester versus how often a preferred listing is accepted by said requester.  
   
   
       15 . A method for providing enhanced directory assistance, said method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving calls from at least one requester at a directory assistance platform, said requester seeking a listing;    storing a plurality of listings in a listing database, coupled to said directory assistance platform;    applying a preferred status to at least one listing;    retrieving, by a customer service representative at said directory assistance platform, listings that meet the requester's search requirements when said requester contacts said directory assistance platform, at least one of which is a listing afforded a preferred status; and    displaying to said customer service representative said at least one listing having a preferred status more prominently than the remaining listings among said plurality of listings that do not have a preferred status.